Pieces of a Family
by Marissa Martin
Summary: Grams has died and left the girls to fend for themselfs. Prue is a Jr. in High School and Piper and Phoebe are in Jr. High. Prue must find a way to keep her family together or the court will tear them apart. there is no magic. i suck at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on Phoebs. Let's go!" Prue screamed up the stairs to her little sister.

"That girl is going to make us late…but what else is new."

"Oh Prue give her a break. It's her first day of Jr. High. Remember my first day I tried almost every trick in the book to get you to leave me home." Piper was always defending Phoebe to Prue or vice versa.

"Well it's still early and once you got their I couldn't get you to leave." Prue said as she began to pace at the bottom of the staircase. Piper knew that could only mean one thing. Prue was losing her patience and would soon be handing out punishments to the youngest Halliwell.

"I don't think we'll have the same problem with Phoebe. Unless there is a boy involved."

Just before Prue was about to start sending death threats through the ceiling of the Manor. Phoebe came running down the stairs in her school attire trying desperately not to fall while putting on her favorite sweater.

"Well it's about time. Do you have any idea what time it is?" Prue stared at her sister with love and annoyance.

"Prue's time of the month. You know they make pills for that now."

"Don't get smart with me young lady. I've had it up to here with you and it's not even 9." Piper could see the tension growing and knew that Phoebe was going to put her foot in her mouth again and say something that she didn't mean.

"Ok we're going to be late if we don't get a move on. Phoebs come on lets go get in the car." Phoebe had so many things that she wanted to tell Prue but Piper was right and she didn't want to be late on her first day.

________________________________________________________________________

The car ride to school was silent. The fighting sisters refused to talk and Piper didn't want to stir the pot. There was no music on because they would all start fighting over what they would listen to. Ever since Grams died it's gotten worse. Phoebe and Prue would bicker over the littlest things, like who did the dishes or how Phoebe wouldn't clean her room properly. And being the mediator was taking it's toll on Piper. Their was no telling how much worse it would get once school started.

Once Prue pulled up to Jefferson Jr. High Phoebe immediately jumped out of the car without so much as a goodbye. Prue heaved a sigh as Piper shut the back door and went over to the passenger side window.

"Prue, you guys have to find a way to get along. I won't always be here to pull you guys apart. I mean I want a life to you know."

"I know Piper I just wish she would tell me why she's mad at me all the time. I mean I know I can be a little controlling but ever since Grams…it's like she blames me for not being their."

"I think you guys need to have a nice long chat and work all this out. And if you don't I'm locking you two in the same room until you do. Got it?"

"Yeah I got it. You better go or you'll be late and ruin you perfect record."

"Fine. Are you going to be here after school?"

"Were else would I be?" Prue made it sound like a joke but the truth was Prue would like to be anywhere but here taking care of her responsibilities. Not that she didn't love her sisters but she just wanted to be carefree and to be a kid. Guess that was out of the question.


	2. Chapter 2

Prue was walking to her third period English class when Bill Warner walked up.

"Hey Prue how have you been?"

"Bill hi. I'm…well actually to tell you the truth I'm a wreck. It's Phoebe's first day of Jr. High and we got into another fight this morning. And I'm going to have to play the mother figure tonight and talk to her about everything."

"Yeah I heard about the fight at school. I can't believe she'd do that on the first day. I mean I know she can have a temper at times but…"

Prue stopped in the middle of the hallway. Bill didn't notice at first and walked back over to her.

"Phoebe was in a fight at school. When? And why didn't anyone call me? Is she alright?"

"Prue I'm sure she's fine. Don't worry…wait look who I'm talking to of course you'll worry. Do you want a ride over to the school?"

"No thanks Bill I think I'll take my car and start that chat. But could you do me a favor?"

"Anything." Bill had, had a crush on Prue ever since the second grade but she was never interested of course. She'd always have Andy.

"Could you take notes for me in English and History."

"You didn't even need to ask. Now go take care of that sister of yours."

________________________________________________________________________

"Excuse me but my sister Phoebe Halliwell was in a fight today. Do you know where I might find her?" Prue asked the lady behind the desk. Prue knew most of the office ladies at Jefferson but this one must be a new recruit.

"I'm sorry but who are you and why are you out of class? Do you have a hall pass, students aren't allowed in the office without one you know?" The lady stood up out of her chair as if to show the authority of her words.

"I'm Prue Halliwell, Phoebe's sister and I don't go to school here. I go to Baker High up the street."

"Well miss Halliwell your sister sure has made a name for herself. Considering it's the first day of school and she's already in a fight." The lady's eyes where bulging more and more out of her head as she spoke.

"Well that's Phoebe always out to be the center of attention. Do you know where she is I'd like to take her home I think she's had enough excitement for one day."

"I sorry but we don't let siblings take our students out of class. If we did their wouldn't be anyone here. If you need your sister to come home your going to need a parent or legal guardian come down and sign her out."

Prue was beginning to lose her patience with the new girl. If Charlotte or Grace were out here they would let her take Phoebe with no questions asked.

"Where is Charlotte and Grace? I think it would be better if I were to speak with one of them."

"They're out today. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."

"I am her legal guardian so can I please just go get my sister?"

"Oh so now you're her guardian. Like I haven't heard that one before."

"I'm serious my mother died a long time ago and my grandmother just months ago." Prue was so furious that she had to rehash her most painful memories to a complete stranger that hot tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"And what about your father?"

"My father is none of your business."

Prue was about to lose it and fall to the floor sobbing when Phoebe came out with the principle behind her.

"Prue?" Phoebe saw her sister's face and was so ashamed of herself because she had made her sister cry.

"Prue I am so sorry. Swear it wasn't my fault. This girl she…" But before she could explain Prue cut her off.

"Save it ok. We'll talk at home." Prue began to wipe away her tears.

The Principle came over and put a hand on Prue's shoulder. "Is everything ok Prue?"

"Yeah it's just been hard. You know…on all of us. Ever since Grams… Anyways I'm sorry about Phoebe it won't happen again. Will it Phoebs?"

"No."

"Can I take her home now? We both have a lot to talk about."

"Sure absolutely. Clara here will help you sign out. I hope you can get a handle on this Prue. Before it's to late."

Prue gave Clara a smug look and took her sister under her arm.

"How about those papers?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Prue climbed into the drivers seat and sat there staring out the window for ten minutes until the silence was broken.**

"**Prue I am so, so, so sorry. It's just that, that girl. She was saying all these mean things about you and Piper and how I am an orphan and…that I'll have to live in a group home and…" Phoebe couldn't say anything more. Her words were replaced with sobs and tears were flowing down her cheeks.**

**Prue looked over at her baby sister and for the first time in a long time she believed every word she said. She couldn't stand seeing her like this so she took Phoebe into her arms and rocked her like she did when she would wake from a nightmare as a child. **

**Eventually Phoebe had cried herself to sleep and Prue took the opportunity to dry up her own tears and drive to the manor. As she pulled in the drive way she debated whether to wake her sister or not.**

"**Phoebe. Phoebs wake up." Prue whispered as she shook awake the young Halliwell.**

"**Come on Prue just five more minutes." Phoebe whined and tried to roll over but was unsuccessful because of her seat belt.**

"**Phoebe come on I can't carry you in the house."**

"**What do you mean?…Where are we?" Phoebe was started to freak out. Ever since she was a child she would always wake up from her naps and not remember falling asleep in the first place.**

"**Hey Phoebs it's ok you fell asleep at school and I drove us home."**

"**Oh ok."**

**Prue helped Phoebe out of the car and up the front steps. By then Phoebe was wide awake. They headed into the living room to have a discussion they've been dreading all day.**

"**Phoebe I know we've always had our differences and I know I can be a hard ass sometimes but this has gone to far. Your not acting like yourself, your always angry and now your fighting…on the first day of school. Phoebe what's going on?" Prue wasn't trying to push but she didn't know any other way to say it.**

"**Prue the fight wasn't my fault I was just…"**

**Before Phoebe could explain again Prue cut her off.**

"**I know and…I believe you. It's just I wish you would've handled it differently. But thank you for standing up for me."**

**Phoebe couldn't believe what she was hearing. Prue her big and ungrateful sister was thanking her. "Anytime."**

"**Now about that attitude of yours. Is something bothering you? Am I?"**

"**Prue it's not just you it's…that I am…afraid." Phoebe diverted her eyes from Prue's by looking down at her lap and playing with the lose threads of her sweater.**

**Prue was surprised by Phoebe's answer, she had no idea her sister was afraid and why had it taken her so long to tell her. "Afraid…?" Prue raised Phoebe's eyes to her own. **

"**Phoebs what are you afraid of?"**

"**I'm afraid of what will happen to me and Piper when they take us away."**

"**Take you away? What are you talking about, who will take you away?"**

"**The government people will take us away when they find out Grams is gone and you can't take care of us."**

"**What makes you think that I can't take care of you guys?"**

"**I don't but…what if they think you can't?"**

"**Ok…now you listen to me. I am NOT going to let anyone, even the government take you or Piper away from me. Ok? Because I'm going to find a job and no one is going to start anymore fights. No matter what they might say to provoke you. Right?"**

**Phoebe was starting to cry again. So she just shook her head in agreement.**

"**Oh Phoebs." Prue pulled her sister into her chest and once again rocked her to sleep.**


	4. Chapter 4

Piper got a call from the office during sixth period that Phoebe had gotten into a fight and that Prue was going to be late picking her up.

Piper waited at her and Prue's normal pickup spot thinking of how badly she wanted to kill her younger sister. "How could she do a thing like this?" Piper asked herself. She stood for about five minutes before she couldn't help herself from starting her homework. By the time Prue had pulled up in front of the school, Piper had finished and had begun reading her copy of Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell for the thousandth time.

"So I hear Phoebe has once again soiled the Halliwell name with only her bare hands." Piper says as she climbs in the front seat.

"Sorry it took me so long Phoebe wouldn't let me out of the house, so I had to wait until she fell asleep."

"What, was she afraid the cops were going to come and take her away?" Piper was normally more concerned about her little sister, but right now she was jealous that Phoebe had everybody's attention and she once again was the nobody.

"Yes actually…she is." Surprise spread across Piper's face.

"Geez. Did send that girl to the hospital or something?"

"No it's just that she's afraid you guys will be taken away if they think that I can't put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads."

Piper had been thinking the same thing ever since Grams' funeral but she wouldn't dare admit it.

"They wouldn't take us…would they?"

Prue could hear the fear evident in Piper's voice. "Like I told Phoebe I will NEVER abandon you guys and no one will dare take you from me."

"Ok. Now let's get home before Phoebs wakes up and finds out you left her alone."

________________________________________________________________________

As the girls climbed the steps to the Halliwell manor, they were astonished by the blood-curdling scream that emanated from inside. Before they could think of scenarios of what was happening, they were inside and bounding up the stairs to find their sister.

"Phoebe!…Phoebe, are you alright?" Prue repeated until she reached her sister's bedroom door.

She didn't bother knocking and burst through the door. What she saw next she had seen many times growing up, when Phoebe would wake from a nightmare. The youngest Halliwell was curled up into a ball in the corner of her room. She was covered in a cold sweat and shivering like crazy.

"Piper go and get a change of clothes and a blanket!" Piper who had never seen Phoebe in such a state, was frozen in time.

"Piper!…" Prue grabbed her by the shoulders and she immediately snapped out of it. "GO!"

Prue slowly approached her fragile sister. She had done this a thousand times and knew that if she scared her it would be next to impossible to calm her down.

"Phoebe? It's ok your safe." Prue tried to show Phoebe that she was here by reaching out and touching her arm.

Phoebe immediately tried to retreat further into the corner and smacked her head into the wall.

"Phoebe, you ok?" Prue wanted to comfort her sister but wasn't sure if her sister was all there.

Phoebe heard her name and looked at Prue like she had just walked into the room. "Prue!" Phoebe jumped into her older sister/mother figure's comforting lap and started crying franticly. Prue immediately began rocking her sister in an effort to calm her down. Prue could hear Phoebe's breathing slowing down as she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_I want to thank everyone who has read my fan fiction. Your reviews have given me hope and have inspired me to continue on and to make sure I write a story that will be meaningful for you and for me._

_Thanks from your writer,_

_Marissa Martin_

It's been two weeks since Phoebe's incident. Prue started a job at the museum as a tour guide. Piper told her sister's about how she was always felling left out and they did their best to include her more. And Phoebe has been working harder in school (with help from Piper) and her attitude has been under control for the most part.

The girls were all sitting at the kitchen table working. Prue was finishing up paying the bills for this month. And Piper was helping Phoebe study for her Algebra test tomorrow.

"Done." Prue announced, putting the check into the envelope and sealing it.

"Finally." Piper sighed.

"Yes, it's official that was the last and final bill of the month. Which means I can stop worrying about the house and worry more about you guys."

Piper and Phoebe looked at each other both thinking the same thing about their neurotic sister.

Prue started to put away her things as the girls went back to studying when the grandfather clock struck one.

"Oh my God. Is it really that late?" Prue questioned as she looked at her watch to make sure. Yep it was one in the morning on a school night.

"Ok you guys time for bed."

"Come on Prue just ten more minutes?" Phoebe whined.

Prue wouldn't have expected to hear Phoebe whine about not being able to study longer a few weeks ago. But now it seemed it was all her little sister wanted to do.

"No Phoebs. It's one in the morning and you have a test tomorrow…well today…I think." Prue still had a problem with tenses even in her own time.

"Fine." Piper helped Phoebe pack her things away and all three sisters went upstairs to get ready for bed.

________________________________________________________________________

The morning came to quickly for the Halliwell sisters. Prue was the first one up as always, every morning was the same routine. When Prue would come out of the shower and bang on Phoebe's door on her way to her room and on her way downstairs. Phoebe has always been the hardest to get up in the morning.

When Phoebe had finally gotten up and ready for school she headed downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Hey Phoebs. Ruff night?" Piper asked as she place Phoebe's breakfast in front of her.

"What makes you say that?"

"Heard you tossing and turning all night."

"And you're a little sluggish this morning. Is everything alright?"

Prue gave Phoebe a worried look that made her want to confess how she really felt and have her big sister's take care of her. But Prue had enough to stress about and Phoebe had contributed enough to that pile in the last years.

"Yah. Just having a hard time waking up this morning that's all."

"This morning. Try every morning." Piper retorted.

Phoebe ignored Piper's comment and stared at her breakfast. She hardly touched it before she was hurried out the door and to the Jeep.

________________________________________________________________________

Prue watched the Vice Principal as he strode over with a note in hand and a sympathetic look.

"Prue, the Jr. High called and they need you over their right away."

She knew this was coming sooner or later. The last few weeks have been too perfect for this to continue. On her drive over she thought about different scenarios on how Phoebe could have screwed up this time. The more she thought the angrier she became. By the time that she arrived she was furious.

Prue entered the office once again. But this time she was so angry she wasn't paying attention to who she was talking to or where they were leading her. When the woman opened the door Prue snapped out of it and realized she wasn't in the Principal's office. No this room was smaller and smelled sterile. It had a sink in one corner and a door that led to a bathroom.

On the opposite wall was a cot and what Prue saw on the cot brought her to tears. Phoebe was lying down in the feto position. Her face was pasty white and she had beads of sweat falling from her face. All the anger Prue had built up was quickly replaced with quilt and worry for her little sister.


	6. Chapter 6

_**(Phoebe's POV)**_

_**I room was silent and still, from what I could tell it was a hospital type room. Under me was a semi-comfortable bed. I could feel me body shake and tense up uncontrollably. My teeth were locked together and sweat was running down my face and back. After a little bit my eyes were rebelling against my mind and eventually I fell into a semi-conscious sleep.**_

_**I heard talking outside the door and someone turn the handle and enter the small room. By this time my mind was rested enough to force my eyes open. But what I saw mush have been an illusion because the person standing over me would have killed me on the spot. My sister, Prue. My mind couldn't take this trickery and shut itself down.**_

_**________________________________________________________________________**_

_**(Third Person POV)**_

_**Prue had woke Phoebe from her unconscious state and took her to the manor. She practically carried her little sister up the steps to the front door. Once inside she didn't even think about trying to get Phoebe to her room. So she got a pillow and a blanket from the closet under the stairs and made a place for her on the couch in the parlor and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out.**_

_**Prue had called Piper once Phoebe was asleep and told her to take the bus home, their was no way she was going to leave Phoebe home alone again.**_

_**________________________________________________________________________**_

"_**Prue! Phoebe!" Piper yelled not knowing about her sister's condition.**_

_**Prue came running out of the parlor and covered Piper's mouth before she could make anymore noise.**_

"_**Prue what the hell w…" She once again was shut up by Prue's hand.**_

"_**SSSH!" Prue put a finger to her lips and then pointed to the sleeping sister who had just began to stir.**_

"_**What happened?" Piper whispered.**_

"_**I Don't know. I mean, she was a little slow this morning but I thought that was just Pheebs being Pheebs. Damn it! How could I have not seen this coming?"**_

"_**Prue you can't beat yourself up."**_

"_**Piper I'm the guardian I have…"**_

_**Piper cut her off before she could finish the speech she's heard a thousand times before.**_

"…_**to take care of us and blah, blah, blah?"**_

"_**Yea."**_

"_**So you feel better now?"**_

"_**Loads."**_

"_**Good. Now we just have to fix her." Both sisters looked at Phoebe who had just begun to wake up from her nap.**_


	7. Author's note

A.N. I am sorry to say that this is an author's note and not a new chapter. I have lost my passion for this story for now but will hopfully remember to pick it up on a later date. If you think that you can

A) Do a better job than me for writing this story.

B) Fell in luv with this story and can't live without it.

Please contact me and I will let you finish my story. I can't thank you enough for enjoying my story that I wrote for you the reader and I hope to once again please you with my endless imagination.

Thank u and good night,

**Marissa Martin**


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